For many years as is common today, performing music is restricted to traditional instruments such as acoustic and electronic keyboards, stringed, woodwind, percussive and brass. In all of the instruments in each of these classifications, a high level of mental aptitude and motor skill is required to adequately operate the instrument. Coordination is necessary to control breathing, fingering combinations, and expression. Moreover, the cognitive ability to read the music, watch the conductor for cues, and listen to the other musicians to make adjustments necessary for ensemble play require high cognitive function. Most school band programs are limited to the use of these instruments and limit band participation to only those students with the physical and mental capacity to operate traditional instruments.
For example, a student with normal mental and physical aptitude shows an interest in a particular traditional instrument, and the school and/or parents make an instrument available with options for instruction. The child practices and attends regular band rehearsals. Over time, the student becomes proficient at the instrument and playing with other musicians. This is a very common scenario for the average music student.
However, this program assumes all children have adequate cognitive and motor function to proficiently operate a traditional instrument. It assumes that all children are capable of reading music, performing complex fingering, controlling dynamics, and making necessary adjustments for ensemble performance. The currently available musical instruments do not consider individuals with below normal physical and mental abilities. Hence, it prohibits the participation of these individuals.
Teaching music performance and composition to individuals with physical and mental disabilities requires special adaptive equipment. Currently, these individuals have limited opportunities to learn to perform and compose their own music because of the unavailability of musical equipment that is adaptable for their use. Teaching music composition and performance to individuals with physical and mental disabilities requires instruments and teaching tools that are designed to compensate for disabled students' limited physical and cognitive abilities.
For example, students with physical and mental disabilities such as cerebral palsy often have extremely limited manual dexterity and thus are unable to play the typical keyboard instrument with a relatively large number of narrow keys. Similarly, a user with physical disabilities may have great difficulty grasping and manipulating drumsticks and thus would be unable to play the typical percussion device. Also, disabled users are unable to accurately control the movements of their hands, which, combined with an extremely limited range of motion, can also substantially limit their ability to play keyboard, percussion, or other instruments. Such users may, however, exhibit greater motor control using their head or legs.
Furthermore, the currently available musical instruments are generally inflexible in regard to the configurations of their user interfaces. For example, keyboards typically have a fixed number that cannot be modified to adapt to the varying physical capabilities of different users. In addition, individuals with cognitive delays are easily distracted and can lose focus when presented with an overwhelming number of keys. Similarly, teaching individuals with mental and physical disabilities basic music theory requires a music tutorial device that has sufficient flexibility to adjust for a range of different cognitive abilities.
Consequently, there is a need in the art for a music performance and composition apparatus with a user interface adaptable for use by individuals with physical and mental disabilities, such that these individuals can perform and compose music with minimal involvement by others. In addition, there is a need for an apparatus allowing disabled users to use the greater motor control available in their head or legs. Furthermore, there is a need in the art for a music composition and performance tutorial system incorporating this new apparatus that allows musicians with disabilities to learn to compose and perform their own music.
Similarly, there is a need in the art for a universal adaptive musical instrument that enables people of all abilities to perform music alone, with other individuals of similar abilities, or with others in a traditional band setting. This solution could provide the necessary flexibility to assist individuals with their particular disability.